“Noted.”
“How long were you involved with Aerona Carter, Mr. Fuller?”
“I believe she was around for two years.”
“And what was the nature of your relationship?”
“I’d give her money to show my appreciation. And I’m a generous man.”
“Appreciation for what, sir?”
Fuller paused for second or two before answering. “Sexual favors.”
“Are you saying that Aerona Carter was a prostitute?”
“No, that’s not what I’m saying. She told me that she was a real estate broker,” Fuller said.
“What happened to end the relationship?”
“Seven months ago, my wife Connie found out she had gotten my password and was siphoning off five grand a month from my account.”
“How long did this go on?”
“Oh, I started to suspect something about two months in when I noticed an additional debit against the account. Connie told me what she suspected, and a few months later I confronted Aerona.”
“What did she say?”
“She denied it, adamantly of course.”
“Did the woman you knew as Aerona Carter ever ask you to invest in any real estate?”
“Once. But I told her no,” Fuller said. “You know, now that I’m thinking about it, right after that was when the money started going missing.”
“Right after you told her you wouldn’t give her any money, she started stealing it.”
“I guess so,” Fuller said and the look on his face turned sour.
“Where were you on the night in question, sir?”
“I was at the Writer’s Guild Awards with my wife Connie,” Fuller said.
Once Harrison Fuller was cross-examined by Paxson, he was excused. Marcus called Scott Daniels back to the stand.
“That was quite a woman you’d do anything for, Mr. Daniels.” Marcus walked over to the jury box and faced Scott. “You heard Detective Silver tell this court that the woman you knew as Abril Arrington was fact named Aisha Kaufman. You also heard testimony from Harrison Fuller. He positively identified the deceased, the woman you knew as Abril Arrington was using the name Aerona Carter, and he was giving her money for sexual favors. Did you know about this, Mr. Daniels?”
“No,” Scott spit out. “She wasn’t like that.”
“Yes, she was, Mr. Daniels. She was a tramp. A tramp that took you for more than one hundred thousand dollars.”
“That’s not true,” Scott yelled.
“Mr. Daniels you must have forgotten that I’ve seen your bank records. You testified under oath that you were paying for her car note and her mortgage. You were buying her jewelry, giving her cash, you said so yourself. You would have done anything for her. Well, Mr. Daniels, we totaled it up for you, and the grand total is just over one hundred thousand dollars that she chumped you out of.”
“Objection. Your honor, council is badgering the witness.”
“Sustained.”
“My apologies, to you your honor,” Marcus said and bowed. “And to you ladies and gentlemen. I only have one more question for the witness.” Marcus walked over to Scott and leaned on the rail that separated them. “How does that make you feel?”